Sealing arrangement in a gas turbine engine

Abstract

A compressor of a gas turbine engine comprises blades 2, 4 provided on blade platforms 8, 12 of a rotor. Stator vanes 20 lie between the blades 2, 4 and are connected to a vane support structure 22 . Sealing rings 38 are secured to the vane support structure 22 to restrict air flow into stator wells 36 on each side of the vane support structure 22 . The sealing rings 38 are made from a flexible material so that they deflect on installation of the vane support structure 22 in a direction radially inwards between the adjacent blade platforms 8, 12.

1. A sealing arrangement between a stator assembly and a rotor of a gas turbine engine, the rotor being rotatable about an engine axis, the stator assembly comprising vanes mounted at their radially inner ends on a vane support structure, and the rotor comprising blades mounted at their radially inner ends on a blade platform, the sealing arrangement comprising a sealing ring fixed to the vane support structure and extending around the engine axis, the sealing ring projecting axially from the support structure to a position axially beyond a circumferential edge of the blade platform and radially inwards of the blade platform, wherein the sealing ring is flexible so as to be capable of deflecting over the blade platform during installation of the vane support structure in a direction radially inwards relative to the blade platform. 
     
     
       2. A sealing arrangement as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the vane support structure comprises a plurality of arcuate sections each carrying at least one vane. 
     
     
       3. A sealing arrangement as claimed in  2 , wherein the rotor comprises two axially spaced blade platforms, the sealing arrangement comprising sealing rings on opposite sides of the vane support structure, the axial dimension of the vane support structure between tips of the sealing rings being greater than the axial distance between adjacent edges of the blade platforms. 
     
     
       4. A sealing arrangement as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the material of the or each sealing ring is an elastomer, a silicone elastomer or a fluoro elastomer. 
     
     
       5. A sealing arrangement as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the vane support structure is made from a metal, a metal alloy or a composite material. 
     
     
       6. A sealing arrangement as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the or each sealing ring is fixed to the vane support structure by means of fastening elements. 
     
     
       7. A sealing arrangement as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the or each sealing ring is secured to the vane support structure by bonding to or co-curing with the material of the vane support structure. 
     
     
       8. A sealing arrangement as claimed in  claim 1 , in which the or each sealing ring comprises a plurality of sealing ring sections which are separately secured to the vane support structure. 
     
     
       9. A sealing arrangement as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the stator assembly and the rotor are components of a compressor of a gas turbine engine.